Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail #147925 November 6, 2009 1
Guidance of KRM Commuter Rail Studies Intergovernmental Partnership Technical Steering Committee Temporary and Limited Authority Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority 2
Studies to Date Transit Alternatives Analysis Draft Environmental Impact Statement New Starts Application to Federal Transit Administration 3
Proposed KRM Commuter Rail Service Will connect Milwaukee and Racine to existing Chicago- Kenosha commuter rail 33-mile commuter rail line using existing Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) freight lines 9 stations Existing stations at Kenosha and Milwaukee New Stations at Somers, Racine, Caledonia, Oak Creek, South Milwaukee, Cudahy, and Milwaukee South Side 4
Proposed KRM Commuter Rail Service (continued) Level of service Service provided in both directions along corridor during all time periods 14 weekday trains in each direction Train operation Service provided by meeting existing Metra trains at either Kenosha or Waukegan Diesel-multiple-unit unit cars ( DMUs or self-propelled coaches) 5
Proposed Bus Service Alternative The bus alternative is an improved and expanded d bus service The best that can be done with improved and expanded bus service over existing streets and highways to provide a similar service as commuter rail, while maintaining the unique advantages of bus service 29 stations or stops limited stop service 14-17 weekday buses in each direction Motor coach vehicles with commuter bus amenities Buses operate as their own collector/distributor Traffic signal prioritization 6
Evaluation and Comparison of Commuter Rail and Bus Alternatives Key measures of evaluation and comparison Capital and operating costs Travel time and speed Travel reliability, comfort, and convenience Transit ridership Impact on highway system Alternative during IH 94 freeway reconstruction Air pollutant emissions and energy impacts Promoting more efficient development and redevelopment Providing increased accessibility to jobs Encouraging corridor economic development by more closely linking southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois Providing improved accessibility to General Mitchell International Airport Providing improved accessibility to arts, culture, and entertainment Providing improved accessibility to colleges and universities 7
Evaluation and Comparison: Travel Time Commuter rail will be much faster than bus in connecting the Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine areas to each other and with Northeastern Illinois Commuter Rail Bus Milwaukee to Kenosha Average Speed Average travel time 38 mph 53 minutes 20 to 29 mph 83 to 108 minutes In comparison, a trip by automobile between Milwaukee and Kenosha during the peak traffic hours may be expected to require 54 minutes. 8
Evaluation and Comparison: Ridership Commuter rail may be expected to attract nearly three times the ridership of bus Annually, commuter rail will attract 1.88 million trips vs. 0.66 million for bus Commuter rail will also attract longer trips and passenger-miles from commuter rail ridership will represent five times the passenger-miles as the bus 23.1 million passenger-miles vs. 4.6 million for bus 9
Evaluation and Comparison: Accessibility to Jobs Due to its higher average speeds and resulting lower travel times, commuter rail will provide greater accessibility to the significant number of jobs in the KRM northeastern Illinois corridor Corridor Jobs (1 mile station radius Year 2000) Downtown Milwaukee 110,300 Milwaukee County 21,600 Kenosha and Racine Counties 28,200 Chicago North Shore Suburbs 95,100 Chicago North Side 58,500 Downtown Chicago 599,400 An estimated 246,000, or 41 percent, of City of Milwaukee residents reside within 3 miles of the two proposed KRM train stations in the City, some within walking distance and others within a short connecting bus or shuttle ride or drive or drop-off by automobile. Of these City residents, 58 percent, or 143,000,, are minorities, and 29% do not have access to an automobile. 10
Evaluation and Comparison: More Efficient Development and Redevelopment Commuter rail will have the potential to result in more efficient, higher density land development and redevelopment around its stations in the corridor and reduce urban sprawl Encourage desirable needed and planned development/redevelopment in central cities of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha and inner, older suburbs of Cudahy, St. Francis, and South Milwaukee Encourage higher density, more efficient development in developing communities of Oak Creek, Caledonia, and Somers 11
Evaluation and Comparison: Corridor Economic Development and Growth The potential for future economic growth of southeastern Wisconsin through more closely linking to Northeastern Illinois is one of a few major economic development themes being advanced for southeastern Wisconsin by the Milwaukee 7. Companies have cited the importance of this link to Northeastern Illinois to retaining and attracting qualified employees, and maintaining and expanding its presence in southeastern Wisconsin. Due to its much higher average speeds and shorter travel times, commuter rail will do a significantly better job of more closely connecting Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee to each other and to northeastern Illinois and Chicago 12
Evaluation and Comparison: Capital and Operating Costs Commuter rail would have higher capital costs and annual operating and maintenance (O&M) costs than bus (2007 dollars) Capital cost $206 million for commuter rail compared to $28 million for bus Annual Operating & Maintenance cost $11.8 million for commuter rail (including shuttles) compared to $3.2 million for bus About 80 to 90% of the capital and net operating and maintenance costs may be expected to be funded with Federal and State funds 13
KRM Commuter Rail Potential Funding ($2007) Capital Cost $206 million $103 million Federal discretionary grant (FTA) $18-27 million FHWA CMAQ grants $38 - $42.5 million State share $38 - $42.5 million Local share (Potential $4 million annual debt service on 20 year bond) Operating Cost $11.8 million $4.6 million fare revenue $4.1 million State assistance $2.2 million Federal assistance $0.9 million Local share 14
Southeastern Wisconsin Needs a Good Public Transit System To meet the travel needs work, education, healthcare, shopping of the significant portion of the population (11% of households) without an automobile. To provide a necessary and desirable alternative ti in heavily traveled corridors and areas. To support higher density and infill development and redevelopment, which results in efficiencies for public infrastructure and services, including transportation. 15
Southeastern Wisconsin Needs a Good Public Transit System (continued) To contribute t to efficiency i in the transportation system, including reduced highway traffic and congestion, air pollution and energy consumption. To enhance economic development/quality of life To connect workers with jobs To access opportunities for higher education To provide choice To reduce household expenditures on transportation, permitting greater savings, other expenditures, and higher standard of living 16
Public Transit Funding Crisis Last 7 years Service Reductions Fare Increases Milwaukee County 16% 30% Waukesha County 40% 10-75% Waukesha City 17% 75% Racine City 25% 50% Kenosha City 10% -- Reductions include routes, service hours, frequency, and express service 40,000 jobs now not accessible by transit Projections for next five years 35% reduction Milwaukee County 20-25% reductions for other systems 17
Public Transit Funding Crisis Why? Federal and State funding provide 70 to 80% of transit annual operating funding Have not increased with inflation No ability to replace Federal and State funds with local property taxes Nearly 100% of Federal funds intended for capital projects are being spent on operating funding 18
Existing Public Transit System 8 existing public transit systems Compared to their peers, very efficient and effective Milwaukee County Transit System Total operating cost per rider 31% below average of their 22 peers 5 th lowest Net operating cost per rider 32% below average 4 th lowest 19
Nearly Every Other Metro Area Has Dedicated Local Transit Funding Name 2000 Population (in millions) Source of Local Dedicated Funding St. Louis, MO 2.08 0.25% Sales tax Denver, CO 1.98 1.0% Sales tax Cleveland, OH 1.79 1.0% Sales tax Pittsburgh, PA 1.75 Sales tax Portland, OR 1.58 0.6618% payroll tax Cincinnati, OH 1.50 0.3% payroll tax Norfolk, VA 1.39 - - Sacramento, CA 1.39 0.5% Sales tax Kansas City, MO 1.36 0.375% Sales tax San Antonio, TX 1.33 0.5% Sales tax Las Vegas, NV 1.31 0.25% Sales tax Milwaukee, WI 1.31 - - Indianapolis, IN 1.22 - - Providence, RI 1.18 6.25 cents per gallon gas tax Columbus, OH 1.13 0.25% Sales tax New Orleans, LA 101 1.01 1.0% Sales tax Buffalo, NY 0.98 0.125% Sales tax Memphis, TN 0.97 - - Austin, TX 0.90 1.0% Sales tax Salt Lake City, UT 0.89 Sales tax Jacksonville, FL 0.88 1.0% Sales tax Louisville, KY 0.86 0.2% payroll tax Charlotte, NC 0.76 0.5% Sales tax 20
Need for Dedicated Transit Funding Dedicated transit funding is essential Preserving existing transit service Implementing pe e gservice improvements po e tsand expansion Considering and implementing major transit initiatives 21